 Push
BGMEA for action in death of Bangladesh workers
June 2004
Please take action to support union demands in the wake of
another garment factory tragedy occurred in Bangladesh. On May
3rd nine women were trampled to death and 50 others injured when
they ran for their lives after a false fire alarm, at a building
housing several garment factories in Bangladesh.
 BACKGROUND
Source: Bangladesh Textile and Garment Workers League (BTGWLF)
and Bangladesh Labour Welfare Foundation (BLF)
May 3rd started out as any normal workday for an estimated 3,000
to 5,000 workers from five garment factories jam-packed in the
Misco Supermarket complex in Dhaka, Bangladesh. A couple of hours
later a transformer near the building burst and sparks could be
seen flying in all directions. A fire broke out in the very busy
alley outside the factory where a religious program took place.
Workers thought there was a fire in the factory and made a run
for the narrow stairway, while some workers went through the emergency
exits located behind the building. Most of them rushed through
the main stairway where they found the gate locked. This caused
the death of nine young women who were trampled to death in the
ensuing stampede. Fifty others were injured.
 The
disaster took place at a time when at least on paper most factories
claim to adhere to safety directives set out by the BGMEA. The
BGMEA list of safety measures each garment factory must adhere
to include fire drills and minimum safety measures like keeping
fire extinguishers and training fire fighting teams. The BGMEA
claims to have a safety cell with a monitoring team that provides
training to factory staff and workers on fire safety methods and
regularly inspects factories. But despite these measures workers
who tried to flee from the Misco Supermarket complex found the
gate locked and nine workers were crushed to death.
 The
BGMEA has taken the above measures after several tragedies over
the last years in which workers died needlessly.
Dec 2000 53 die in Garment
Factory fire Bangladesh
Aug 2001 , 24 Garment workers
die in Bangladeshi fire alarm
April 2005, 350 Bangladeshi
Garment Workers Buried Alive
Obviously the measures taken by the BGMEA are far from sufficient.
Many garment factories are using buildings that are primarily
built either for residential or commercial use. Landlords and
factory owners just break down walls to turn a building into a
garment factory. The Building Construction Rules 1996, which were
enacted eight years ago are also quite vague.
 The
National Garment Workers Federation (NGWF) brought out a mourning
procession in the city and held a rally where speakers blamed
negligence of the garment authorities. According to the NGWF there
were no arrangements for emergency exits or fire extinguishing
equipment at the factory building.
The BGMEA president said that the association would give 100,000
Taka to the families of each of the victims of the Misco tragedy.
The Bangladesh Textile and Garment Workers League is demanding
that:
- 200,000 taka should be paid as compensation to the families
of the workers who have died;
- 50,000 taka should be paid as compensation to the workers
who were injured in the accident;
- charges should be pressed against the owners of the building.
Please read the December 2004 Update
of the
Misco Supermarket fire Bangladesh
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